Jaushieh Joseph Wu
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
August 11, 2021
(As Delivered)
Greetings from Taiwan!
Through this video, I am delighted to join with you in celebrating the first anniversary of the establishment of the Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland.
On August 17, 2020, the Taiwan Representative Office was established in Hargeisa. This marked a milestone in relations between our two countries.
Since that day, cooperative ties binding our nations have grown stronger and stronger in many domains.
We are pleased to have implemented cooperative projects in the fields of agriculture, healthcare, and e-government. A demonstration farm and ICT center have been established, while health training courses have been held and medical equipment has been delivered.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the cooperation, coordination, and strong support provided by our Somaliland friends, especially those from partner ministries.
Dear friends, Taiwan and Somaliland share the values of freedom, democracy, justice, and the rule of law. Taiwan stands with Somaliland and seeks to further strengthen cordial ties for the benefit of our peoples.
As President Muse Bihi Abdi mentioned in his Annual Constitutional address on March 8, Taiwan was one of the few international partners that supported Somaliland financially for the May 31 parliamentary and local elections. I avail myself of this opportunity to congratulate Somaliland on having held free and fair elections. The election of new leadership in the House of Representatives has also demonstrated the maturity of, and commitment to, democracy in Somaliland.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is very important to understand and appreciate that no country can achieve sustainable or substantial development without successfully investing in human capital. And so, another important aspect of today’s celebrations is the awarding of certificates for the Taiwan Scholarship. I am happy to say that 20 young people have been chosen from almost 1,300 applicants. I encourage the recipients to cherish this hard-earned opportunity and make great contributions to Somaliland once you finish your studies in Taiwan.
In conclusion, let me again emphasize, Somaliland will always have friends in Taiwan, and Somaliland will always be in my heart. As we move forward, let us continue to work together to realize a better future. Thank you.